Lost
by sparklespepper
Summary: You never know what you had until you lost it - Or in my case, what my brother had lost. And once you lose it, you can never get it back. - Two shot for now
1. Lose

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**Author's Note:**

_"You never know what you have until you lose it, and once you lose it, you can never get it back."_ \- Unknown

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**Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the story idea and any OC(s).**

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**Lost  
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It was my fault.

Whether you or anyone else believe it or not, it was.

No, Bowser didn't finally rule over the Mushroom Kingdom. And no, Princess Peach didn't get force into marrying him either. But compared to this major screw up, it sure would have been better if she did, even if it was for a short time. I mean, she could always divorce him, right? Maybe poison his food or something? You only with him until his game end anyways. Not only that, she'll probably gain control over the Koopa Kingdom, finally ending the war between hers and theirs.

I know it sound cruel even for me. But you will think the same way too if you were force to live in my shoes and relive the mistake you caused to the one you cared most.

Since the day I strictly called _**'The Incident'**_, I had change a lot compared to who I used to be. I mean I still save the Princess every third day of the week, and the entire world at least once a month. Difference between then and now is that I'm more careful; cautious even.

Before **_'The Incident'_**, I was reckless; a loose cannon. I would always run head first into battle without even taking a second thought. I would always live up to my title, Super Mario. I was everyone's hero; everybody's savior. But that, and all of reality, came crumbling down that day - literally.

On one hand, I am a little grateful for it. It showed me that I wasn't all that great, that I wasn't all that super. I was human just like everyone else; only with special abilities that stand me out from the rest.

Regardless of my abilities, I wasn't invincible... I wasn't immortal. Every time I head out to save the Princess from the monster koopa king that was Bowser, I should consider myself fortunate to survive it. Every time I go out to save the world from some super villain who wanted to take over, I should get down on my hands and knees, thank King Grambi for the life I have lived, and thank Queen Jaydes for not ending my games early.

It was luck that carry me out this far, but now... my luck has run out.

I rarely interact with anyone anymore, especially Peach; the woman I once called the love of my life. I don't get out of the house much either, only for my adventures and grocery shopping of course. Other than that, I just say home and take full responsibility for my mistake.

Everyone, including Luigi, said it wasn't my fault; that it was just an accident. But I never believe them for I knew better. If Luigi didn't push me out of the way of that falling ceiling, this would have never happen. And to make matters worse, they all look at him like it was his own fault; like he was the cause of all this.

My anger flared whenever I see those accusing looks of theirs. And the fact Luigi believes it as well only cause my anger to flare up even more. It wasn't his fault this happened. He was always the cautious one, wanting to take the time to think about his option before making a single move. I'm the one that ran fist first, brains last and he's the one who had to suffer for it.

And how dare they even think so lowly of my brother. After all he's been through, after all the times he risks his life to save theirs (and mine); this is how they repay him? By tossing him aside likes a useless doll. I have half a mind to let Bowser win over the kingdom for once, just to teach them a lesson. The more I think about it, the more I'm actually considering on letting it happen. I may have been cocky and arrogant before and I'll admit that. But I'm a lot more observant now to see they depended too much on me to save them and the princess.

I mean, this is a kingdom after all. Don't they have some sort of military to protect the castle and its people, like they do back in the Beanbean Kingdom? Are they really that weak (or that lazy) to allow Peach to get captured every once a week? Or are they just too confident in _my_ abilities that they don't see the need for it?

Well, whatever it is, I don't have time for it any more. I have Luigi to take care of now. I can't always waste my life to stop an army of Koopas and Goombas from attacking a bunch of prideful, arrogant, ungrateful little...

"Mario...?"

I jumped slightly from my seat on the couch. Realizing I was in my living room with the TV on, I looked over to my side. Luigi sat next to me and he had a concern look on his face.

"Are you alright?" he asked me. "You looked sort of angry."

I let out a deep sigh in order to calm my nerves down. I didn't want Luigi to think I was angry that him or anything. I smile softly at him.

"I'm-a fine, bro. I was just... thinking, that's all"

Luigi's concern face disappeared and was replaced by a curious one. "Okay, what were you thinking about? Do you want to talk about it?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm-a fine...really." Then I turned my full attention on him. "How about you? Are you tired? Do you want to take a nap?"

Luigi shook his head quickly. "No, no, I'm-a fine." He said.

"Then how about some tea? I'll go get us some tea."

I made a move to get up from the couch, but Luigi stopped me before my butt was even in the air.

"No, no, I can get it."

I looked at him with uncertainty written on my face. "You sure? Because I don't mind doing it"

That was the truth. Ever since **_the Incident_**, I had offered to do everything he couldn't do anymore, and that includes the cleaning. It helps make me feel a little bit better; however, it makes Luigi feel like a burden, something I don't want him feeling.

"I'm sure." He said as he wheeled (yeah, I said it - wheeled) his chair around and toward our kitchen.

I sat back down on couch, but not fully. I kept a close eye on him, ready to jump to his aid when needed. I watch him closely as he placed the bus tub Princess Daisy got him on his lap with the tea pot and our favorite mugs inside. Once he was sure it wouldn't fall and was well balance, he wheeled himself back to the living room where I was waiting. He poured some tea into my red mug and I thank him, smiling softly.

This was the mistake I made; causing my little brother to become paralyze from the waist down. Every day I have to live with it and I have accepted it to be my full time job. I guess it's like the saying goes...

You never know what you had until you lost it - Or in my case, what my brother had lost. And once you lose it, you can never get it back.

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**Ending Note:**

I had this one-shot for maybe a year or so but I never posted it up because I felt like I could do more with it. Maybe later I'll be able to transform it into a short story.

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**Review :)**


	2. Gain

**Author's Note:**

_"One man's loss is another's gain"_ \- Unknown

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**Disclaimer:**** I do not own anything but the story idea and any OC(s). **

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**Gain**

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It wasn't his fault.

I keep telling him that, but he doesn't believe it.

What happened that day was a complete accident; one that couldn't have been avoided.

Actually that's not true; what happened that day could in fact been avoided. I mean, if we weren't needed to rescue the Princess from Bowser that day, then it won't have never happened. Instead, we probably would have been at home, peacefully watching TV or hanging out with friends. Anything that WOULDN'T required us to leave home.

I used to believe that it was my own fault. Key word – used to; I now know that it wasn't. And I can't help but feel anger at anyone who looks at me like was; like I purposely caused my own disability.

Seriously, who would want to be disabled?

No one that's who; and that includes me.

Sometimes I wonder why, why did I kept on trying to be a hero especially for a society that never and will never acknowledge me for my efforts. Many times in the past I wanted to quit, quit being a hero and return to a normal life as a plumber. Then I remember my brother…

My brother...He adores the hero life. He likes the excitement it brings him and the many adventures he gets to do. He's also very fond of the princess – he didn't said that out loud but I know that he does.

It's no secret that he could go off and save the day on his own. I know it, he knows it, everyone knows it. In fact, I'm almost 100% percent sure that in almost every adventure we travel together, the results will remain the same, whether I was there or not. When I'm there, the work is cut in half but in the end, Mario still get most, if not all, the credits so why bother.

I was going to inform him on this – that I didn't want to be a hero, didn't want to go on life-threatening adventures. I had even arranged a speech on all the reasons why I wasn't going to join him anymore. I was fully prepared to tell him one day. The moment I held the door opened, I stood up from the couch to greet him and to start the conversation that will end my short career as a hero.

I had opened my mouth to speak, only to have my words get it stuck in my throat.

I didn't get nervous nor did I chicken out...The moment I laid eyes on my brother, I didn't say "Welcome home, Bro" or "How was your day?" The first thing that flew out of my mouth was "What happened?"

Why? Because he was hurt...bleeding hurt.

It wasn't anything serious; he healed up pretty quick thanks to some Mushrooms. But in my eyes, it was a whole different story; like he could have died any minute now.

I'm paranoid for a reason. I knew that if something serious were to happened, then there was a chance that we may not be able to get up from it – that it will be a fatality. All those countless wins may have made my brother forget but to me, I always remind myself of the truth.

We were not unstoppable...we were not invincible... and more importantly, we were not immortal. We were living beings just like everyone else around us.

"Ah, don't worry so much about it," He told me. "Bowser just got lucky this time; next time will be different,"

_'Next time?'_ I had thought, anger surging through me_. 'There shouldn't even be a next time. If the princess is captured then her **guards** should be the ones to rescue her, not two common plumbers'_

My hands balled up into tight fists. I wanted to yell at him, scream at him to stop this hero foolishness before he gets seriously hurt... or worse. I didn't know what I'll do without my brother but before I could, once again, say anything, my anger melted away and was replaced by sadness.

The moment I looked into his eyes, I realized something. He didn't just adores his hero life; no, he was downright in love with it and he wasn't going to stop living it any time soon...not now, not later, not never. I swallowed down the lump in my throat and remain silence; the speech I was going to give him was completely forgotten.

Instead of quitting, I made a promise that day. I won't remained as hero for my sake, or for the Mushroom Kingdom, heck not even for the princess'. I remain a hero for my brother…to watch over his back when he's too busy moving forward, to take care of him when he forgets to take care of himself, and to be by his side even if he tends to leave me behind.

But most importantly, I remained a hero to make sure that with every adventure he goes on, he always come back alive.

Out of everyone in this whole entire kingdom, I'm the one who knows Mario best. No matter how many people wants to be his friend or how close the princess want him to be with her, they will never know him as well as I do.

So when I turn my gaze away from the TV to glance at him, I immediately noticed the anger expression on his face.

"Mario…?"

He jumped slightly from his sit on the couch and turned to me. I had a concern look on my face as I wonder what was wrong.

"Are you alright?" I asked. "You looked sort of angry."

He took a deep sigh to calm down his nerves. I know he wasn't anger with me but with something else. He turned to me again and smiled softly.

"I'm fine, bro." He said. "I was just… thinking, that's all"

My concern face disappeared and was replaced by a curious one; I already knew what or who he was angry thinking about but I just wanted to make sure.

"Okay, what were you thinking about? Do you want to talk about it?"

Unfortunately, he shook his head. "No, I'm fine." Then he turned his full attention on me. "How about you? Are you tired? Do you want to take a nap?"

I shook my head quickly; naps were the last thing on my mind. "No, no, I'm fine."

"Then how about some tea? I'll go get us some tea?"

He made a move to get up from the couch, but I stopped him before his butt was even in the air.

"No, no, I can get it." I told him.

He looked at me with uncertainty written on his face.

"You sure? Because I don't mind doing it"

That was true. Ever since the day that he strictly calls '**_The Incident'_**, Mario has offered to do everything I couldn't do anymore, and that includes the cleaning and cooking. It helps make him feel a little bit better since he still blames himself for my misfortune; however, it makes me feel like a burden, which I'm sure he doesn't want me feeling.

"I'm sure," I ensured him as I wheeled my chair around and towards our kitchen.

He relaxed back on the couch but not fully. I can literally feel his eyes on me, making me a bit nervous but determine not to mess anything up. He always made himself ready to jump to my aid. Although I appreciate it, I wish he could lighten up sometime. I may have lost my ability to walk but that doesn't make me completely useless; I can still do things, just in a different way.

I placed the bus tub Princess Daisy got me on my lap with the tea pot and our favorite mugs inside. Once I was **sure** that it wouldn't fall off and was well balance, I wheeled myself back to the living room where he was waiting. I poured some tea into his red mug and he thanked me, smiling softly.

I smiled back at him. He had changed a lot since **_'The Incident'_**. He still goes off on heroic adventures but this time he's more cautious and careful. You could say he became more like me… which was both good and bad.

It was good because I no longer had to worry so much about him. He no longer acted like some reckless, loose cannon trying to live up to his hero title the locals gave him. I know each time he's goes out, he's going everything in his power to make sure he returns home safe and relatively unharmed.

It was also bad because he doesn't leave the house much or interacts with our friends, including Peach who I know he still loves. Sometime I have to make up excuses just to make him leave and get some fresh air. Mario was always a bold and adventurous man, even before we became heroes. But since **_'The Incident',_** adventuring just seem like a part-time job to him – a job he no longer wants to do.

**_'The Incident'_** did more than just took my mobility away from me; it also reminded Mario on the truth he forgotten long ago. It had hit him so hard it was like Bowser come over and b-slapped him himself.

I guess it's like the saying goes – one man's loss is another man's gain.

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**Ending Note:**

I had this almost completed for a while so I'm glad I had this finally posted.

I wanted to turn this into a four maybe five chapter story, that includes **The Incident**. Hopefully, I'll have this done by the time I return back to my main story _'Change'_ in mid-January.

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**_Review :)_**

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